WASHINGTON — The richest and largest Republican super PAC has begun a barrage of radio, TV and social-media ads in Colorado — during what is normally a quiet political season — in an effort to cement messages about health care reform, the economy, the price of gas and taxes.

The group's target: wandering, undecided voters.

American Crossroads has already spent more than $1.1 million in Colorado and plans an aggressive campaign — both through advocacy on issues and through sharpened attacks on President Barack Obama — in six to 10 swing states between now and November's election.

"We think issues like Obamacare, the debt, perhaps taxes will hit an audience that will be persuadable," Law said in an interview about the group's strategy. "It's very much going to be a counterweight to President Obama's bully pulpit. He's using the muscle of the White House to try and frame what the national issue debate should be about."

Crossroads has roughly $200 million to spend on this throughout the country. Coloradans will hear messages on the economy, taxes, the state's unemployment rate (7.8 percent) and the average price for a gallon of gas ($3.87) to seep into social-media websites and onto TV screens.

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It is new for political messages to begin airing in late spring and summer.

This period — the formerly sweet, quiet months between the primary and the general election — is normally when campaigns recharge and replenish their messages, campaign coffers and national staffs.

And there's nothing stopping the campaigns from doing the same again this year.

But independent expenditure committees, which have been surging, can now pick up where the campaigns stop by throwing tens of millions of dollars into politics.

A Supreme Court decision a couple of years ago allowed independent committees to raise unlimited amounts of campaign money from corporations and unions.

From Colorado alone, 19 people had given more than $230,000 to super PACs through February.

Obama's handlers have signaled they are ready for a summer attack.

In February, top strategists gave the nod for unlimited fundraising from rich Democrats — something Obama had previously shunned.

State Republican Party chairman Ryan Call said Rove will probably speak about the economy under Obama and try to connect a message to women, Latinos and younger voters.

In other words: a general-election set.

"I think voters are going to be looking with a critical eye over the direction the country is taking, the current status of the economy, how many of their friends and family members are unemployed," Call said.

$200 million

Roughly the amount that the Republican super PAC American Crossroads has to get its messages out across the nation. Coloradans will see and hear ads addressing the economy, taxes, unemployment and the cost of gasoline.

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